Rail remains an unreliable mode of transport in South Africa despite claims by authorities that much has been done to improve the infrastructure and rolling stock. “It is just not dependable and any company wanting to offer a timeous and professional service will find themselves being let down by rail more often than not,” says Alwyn Nel, managing director of Kingfisher Freight. “The biggest problem that we have is that of the infrastructural collapse which ranges from derailments to cable theft – and that means trains are not operating. And if trains are standing, so is the cargo.” Add to that the fact that rail is not always cheaper, and road remains the best option. “Road is manageable. If something happens to a truck, you can find a solution even if it means sending a second truck and reloading all the cargo. With rail your hands are chopped off completely and there is absolutely nothing you can do but wait for the cargo. Using rail remains risky.” But maintenance and the improvement of the road infrastructure is crucial to the industry if it wants to offer a world-class service. “The road infrastructure in the country is definitely not perfect as the maintenance backlog on especially secondary roads is huge. Challenges facing the industry are that of traffic volumes, ensuring the infrastructure is continuously upgraded and keeping fuel costs to a minimum.”
